I considered a circumcision because during intercourse my foreskin would retract over my gland which I assumed (incorrectly) was the most sensitive part of my penis.

In fact, the frenulum is widely reported (see citations in wiki) as the most sensitive part of the penis and the foreskin, along with the moist gland (head) of the penis and the foreskin itself all being highly sensitive.

Often surgeons performing circumcisions will remove the frenulum or in my case, replace it with scar tissue, resulting in loss of the highly sensitive tissue. Morover, the gland without the foreskin to protect it, is exposed to the harsh drying and rubbing action of cotton underpants, quickly drying it out, and along with exposure to other elements like hot water of showers, the gland soon develops an additional dermis of skin to protect it from the harshness of the conditions to which it is now exposed. The outright removal of, or replacement of the frenulum with scar tissue, along with the drying out of the gland, and additional growth of dermis, all mean the sensitive nerve endings close to the surface of the gland become buried by a thick dermis of skin, resulting in less sensitivity of the gland. For this reason, Men who are often hyper sensitive and ejaculate prematurely are referred to undergo a circumcision (citation needed), to help reduce the sensitivity of the penis.

In all the Circ debates I had witnessed to date, they focus predominately on health benefits vs human rights of bodily integrity. There has been no debate to my knowledge, or rigorous scientific study, as to the risk that circumcision brings with it a very real and significant loss of sensitivity to the gland, frenulum and overall sensation in the penis. This is something I would find out the hard way.

Reason’s for having a circ.

My reason for having a circ was that I thought without the foreskin in the way, sex would be more pleasurable.

I have a healthy sized penis, it generally worked well, although I did feel the following was an issue: when not 100% erect, which when having sex with my wife of 10 years, I was not always fully hard, it was semi-erect, the foreskin in particular would not retract all the way back. Indeed, even with a fully erect penis, if I pulled my foreskin up, it would nearly cover the gland of my penis, maybe bar 1cm from the tip. I found in sex, even when I would pull the foreskin back, it would not stay back, often it would retract back over the gland of the penis – especially when lubricated by either my partners vaginal fluids or if using synthetic lubricants like ky-jel or similar. I always enjoyed sex immensely; the pleasure was always nice during the sex, not just the orgasm. However, often during sex the foreskin would retract over my gland and I would find myself reaching down pulling back the foreskin, so as to expose my gland fully against my partners vagina which I found the most pleasurable.

I reasoned that, with my foreskin gone, I wouldn’t have to keep reaching down and pulling my foreskin back. My gland would always be exposed to my partner’s vagina and hence, sex would be like the feeling when my foreskin is retracted – much better.

A early sexual partner mentioned in passing that she’d never seen a “non-circumcised” penis and that it looked “funny” which gave me cause to think that maybe it would be better to be circ’ed, but I never got around to it and besides, it was the only female who’d ever made mention of its “look” and even then, I didn’t really know if she meant “funny” to be one of aesthetic disapproval or just that she’d never seen one like that before. No other partner had since complained. I got married when I was 30 and my wife, who I’d met two years earlier, and I enjoyed a reasonably healthy sex life. However, it used to annoy me having to reach down their just about every time we had sex to retract my foreskin fully.

Some people have circumcisions because they have chronic hygiene issues with their foreskin, or complain of frequent urinary tract infections. My brother fell into this category and was his reason for undergoing an adult circumcision.

I cannot report the same complaints; I have never once had a urinary tract infection nor did I experience any problem with foreskin smells.

Prior to circumcision, the only time smell surfaced was when I had run out of my usual cleaning products or got lazy and didn’t wash around my gland by pulling the foreskin back. If I washed it properly which I do using a antiseptic wash (I like Blackmore’s antibacterial face wash or Thursday Plantations Tea Tree Skin Wash with some additional Pure Tea Tree oil added to increase the antiseptic properties) around the penis, bacteria is prevented from growing in the moist tissue and hence smells do not form. This in combination with using toilet paper to wipe away excess urine rather than the customary “few shakes” virtually eliminated all smell in my penis.

I can’t comment on the general hygene practices of uncircumcised males in Australian or global society, but when washing twice a day (morning and night) I never had any smell around my penis.

I decade ago I recall a friendly debate with three late twenty-something women who were all under the impression that a natural penis’s was more prone to smell than a circumcised male. I’m not sure if this goes to evidence that natural mens penis’s are more prone to smell or not. I have not found any scientific evidence on the matter and welcome any interested reader to post links to any such research.

In my case the reasons for having a circ were I thought it would feel better when having sex because of not having the foreskin in the way.

Being so busy I probably would never had gotten around to seeing a urologist and getting the circ, if it were not for a necessary hernia operation I required at age 37 as a result of some over judicious sit up routines. In a follow up post op visit, I had asked in passing my hernia surgeon, did he know of any good urologists – I’d like to talk to one about a circ. He said, that he did, and wrote me out the referral there and then.

Contrary to its assurances otherwise, I’d say this is not a “balanced” site but rather a pro-circ site. I believe it is pro-circumcision and the comments carefully screened by the author.

I had looked through the information and decided I wanted as much “inner skin” left as possible because this was the sensitive part which I wanted, during sex, to be exposed to my partners vagina.

A few weeks later I’m in the urologists room explaining my reasons for wanting a circ.

He listened and said, yep, sure, no problem. The risks you need to be aware of are

a.) Like all operations, there is a risk of infection. However, it’s unlikely and if you do get an infection we can treat it with antibiotics.

b.) There’s a risk of bleeding but that will go away within a few days.

c.) There’s a risk of scarring, but this will also go away over time.

The surgeon proceeded to explain the technicalities of the operation in clear language, using diagrams, and told me that he would leave the frenulum as it’s important for blood flow to the penis.

I thought the operation was relatively free from risks and booked in for the operation.

What I know now of course, is that the big risk, the biggest risk of all when considering my reasons for a circ was the very real probability of diminished sensitivity to the penis. The surgeon’s advice should have been, in my opinion, something to the effect: “David, you’re coming in here for reasons of “wanting to improve your sex life by not having a foreskin present because you feel it’s getting in the way… BUT… are you aware that there’s evidence that suggests that many men, post circumcision, experience decrease in sensitivity to the gland, and as a result, reduced sexual sensation?”

That would have been, in my opinion, the proper warning to provide any man thinking of undergoing a circumcision. It’s everybody’s right to know, in clear unambiguous language, if a operation will result in diminished sensitivity to something as important as a sexual organ and associated consequences to sexual experience. I believe it’s as important for the same reasons that we are not allowed to commit battery (see battery side note) against one another – that everybody’s person is inviolable and should not be interfered with without proper consent.

That was to be my experience, a greatly reduced sensation of sensitivity in my penis. I was blissfully unaware, and looked forward to my operation, looking forward to what I thought would be greater sexual pleasure and better hygiene and more spontaneity of sex.

The Operation

The actual operation went as well as can be expected. I had mine under local anaesthetic. I was very nervous and nearly pulled out after the surgeon had put in the local anaesthetic and poked and prodded and asked me if I could feel anything. I wanted to say, look, I’ve changed my mind, I don’t want to do this, but due to embarrassment of being so indecisive, and not wanting to upset the surgeon, I said nothing.

My advice if you’re ever in that situation, if you’re never 100% sure about doing something to your body, then it’s probably your instincts telling you it’s wrong, don’t do it. My advice is listen to your instincts and leave, no matter who you upset.

The operation took about 45 minutes and was painless. The only pain was the local anaesthetic but that lasted for about 30 seconds and was no more painful during the 30 seconds than a tetanus injection. After completion, the surgeon wrapped my penis up in a light bandage and I was sent home to bed, told not to do anything for 2 or 3 days, and stay pretty much around home for a week, taking it easy, do nothing strenuous. I was also told to ice it regularly to reduce swelling.

After about 3 days, when the blood and bruising had eased I became quite nervous about what had happened. There was numbness all around, and my soft pink elastic frenulum, that attached the foreskin to the shaft of my penis, was no longer, rather, it was replaced with gristly numb tissue all stitched up. I started to worry about all the resulting scar tissue, if there was supposed to be this much pain and what if the numbness doesn’t go away.

Some 14 days later I went back to see the surgeon for a post op visit. He inspected, some stitches were starting to work loose, but otherwise the stiches were holding the outer skin of my penis to the inner skin. There was still a lot of swelling around the back of the penis where the frenulum was supposed to be, I thought it looked terrible and the surgeon said, “hmm, yes, that is an excellent result”. Further directing my attention to the swelling, pointing to the back of the penis, where the frenulum was, that’s normal and will be like that for up to 6 months. It will go down over time, just keep icing it and assured me that it’s otherwise normal. He also told me that as the pain starts to subside from the operation, I’ll notice that the penis will be itchy in my under pants, that’s also normal, and will go away over the next 6 months. He explained that the top dermis of the gland (the exposed head of the penis) will thicken over the coming months and so the itchiness will go away. I enquired if that would reduce my sexual sensitivity, feeling a bit like an idiot- why didn’t I ask this before the operation?? He stated it unlikely, but it’s hard to say, the research suggests some people experience greater sensation, some slightly less.

At that stage I was flabbergasted; I felt like saying ‘but asshole, I come in here asking for an operation to increase my sexual feeling, and you say no worries, risk were bleeding, scarring, infection, but nothing at all about “risk” of loss of sexual sensation until after the operation.” I said nothing, just hoping that it was too early to tell and give it some time.

I knew pretty much at or around this stage that my frenulum was replaced with scar tissue and that was a dire depression causing disappointment which I still have to this day. My once highly sensitive frenulum is now thick scar and has much less feeling than the skin one my arm. The surgeon told me the frenulum would remain, but that was not true. It was replaced with scar tissue and in my case, this is still a source of pain when my penis becomes erect – the less flexible scar tissue pulls tight and causes a dull pain.

After about 3 months I could have sex again. It was hard to tell if sensitivity was less or not, because of the pain was still reasonably acute upon erection. Also, I could not have sex for too long for the skin on the back of the penis near the fenulum would become too painful.

I would try to focus on the remaining sensitivity of the gland of the penis. From about three months to six months sensation in the glad was still good. I liked how I didn’t have to reach down to pull back any foreskin. Sex was still good out to about six months but then I started to notice a significant drop off in sensation over the following six months. Over the six month to twelve month period I noticed that my penis became less sensitive and itchy in my underpants and less sensitive to my partners touch. The rubbing of my penis in my underpants de-sensitized the gland. Also, I noticed, that initially, it was very difficult to have hot showers, with my gland exposed. Especially in the first few months. But from month 3 to 12, my penis went from one where I could not have it under the shower, to where, after a year I could have my penis directly exposed to the hot water of a shower without any pain or sensual discomfort in my penis whatsoever. At this stage the dermis of my gland was increasing in thickness which allowed me to not notice my penis in my underpants while in the shower, and over the same time period, the pleasurable sensation of sex started to drop off. I also started to lament the memory of the nice feeling of cold air as it would embrace my gland upon retraction of the foreskin. This was always an erotic act to me – the cool air against my moist gland would always cause some psychological palovian pleasure response prior to sexual intercourse. I now never experience that sensation any more.

By a year out I knew I was one of those people who were experiencing a bad circumcision. I had disgust with the surgeon for failing to warn me, and disgust with myself for letting this happen, and an overall feeling of bitter bitter disappointment of the loss of sexual feeling. Now, 30 months on, the foreskin removal is a horrendous loss to me and my sexual enjoyment.

Loss of penile sensitivity

The tissue in the penis is much like the inner lining of the mouth. Under that membrane teems thousands of nerve endings just below the surface of the membrane. It’s not just skin as one would find on the hand, or any exterior of the body, it’s a membrane. Fluids can transgress it’s surface. Indeed, bodily fluids can pass through the membrane, which, if a man is having sex with a female partner infected with a STI, is how the STI virus can pass through the membrane of his gland (head) and into his blood stream, thus infecting him. (citation needed) This occurs more easily in an natual penis because his membrane is thinner. A circumcised penis, shortly after circumcision, starts to rub against underpants and clothing. That frictional rubbing against cotton or other material dries the membrane out and in response it starts to thicken. This thicker membrane explains (scientific citation needed) why circumcised men have less chance of contracting STI’s. The naturally thicker dermis of a circumcised penis creates a natural barrier to STI’s transgressing across their membrane. A natural condom if you will. Also, if looked at carefully the gland’s surface, rather than being a moist smooth membrane (as it was prior to the circ), post circ, the surface is cracked and dried. As the dermis builds up over time, the surface colour of the gland transforms from a dark pink/purple to a light pale pink.

Explanation for other males differences in sensation

I guess everyone’s experience will be somewhat varied; for example, a lot of my foreskin has been removed, to the point that even when my penis is flaccid, the gland is uncovered by any skin and exposed to the rubbing and friction against my under pants.

If another person had a partial circ, where if the penis is flaccid, some foreskin still covers most of the gland, I suppose that much of the friction against one’s underpants would not occur. Hence, they may not have such a thickness of dermis grow over the gland and hence would not report sexual loss or perhaps very little, compared to myself.

My summary is as follows:

It’s a terrible thing to do to yourself! In my case, the dermis has thickened to such a degree that I feel very little in the end of my penis. Sexually, I compare it to worse than any sex I can remember with a condom on when uncircumcised. That is, I would prefer to have had sex with an natural penis with a condom on then with the circumcised penis I have now.

If you want to get some idea of what a post circumcised penis feels like then pull your foreskin back, put a condom on, jump under a really hot shower. Can you tolerate the hot water from the shower stream landing directly on your gland of your penis. If not, add another condom (2 condom layers) or more layers, until you can handle it. Once you can handle it, that’s the sensitivity, which you will experience, post circ. Now have sex with that many condom’s on and record your subjective sense of sensitivity loss.

I’m not sure how to relay the experience onto a female. Perhaps, imagine the same, open your labia major to the hot water of a shower stream, (the hottest you can comfortably stand under) and think about how painful that is. You may not be able to tolerate it at all, it being fair too sensitive to direct contact of hot water. Then try putting some layers of gladwrap over your vulva until you no longer feel the pain of the water. Then touch around yourself with that gladwrap there, and assume that is the best sexual touch you will ever have. That is sensitivity post circumcision.

Why write about it?

To warn others! To contribute to an aspect of the debate I feel has been largely overlooked by the academic world. I wish I had read something like this prior to having my operation. When I went looking I found numerous debate about human rights, health and hygiene matters, but very little on loss of sexual sensation. It was only when googling “dangers of circumcision” I found negative opinions. I was most influenced by the first hand reports on the benefits at the following site, a site I’d advise the interested reader to treat with extreme caution: :http://www.circinfo.net/men_circumcised_as_adults_tell_it_as_it_is.html. I doubt the voracity of the first hand accounts given my result.

I hope my blog post will assist with your decision making. That you aware of the very real risks of loss of sexual sensation. Perhaps this risk is worth it especially if you are battling with chronic hygene of the penis or other issue. My advice is to not mess with what nature has given you lightly. If chronic infection is a problem, try a tea tree based antiseptic based wash first before taking this extreme and never to be undone procedure.

I especially hope that parents thinking of having their children circumcised reflect on my experience before taking the trespass to person and tyrannical action of imposing on their child a decision that is rightly theirs to make when they are an adult and have full access to information, both pro’s and con’s, in order to make an informed decision that’s best for them, not what’s best for their parents. In my opinion, parents nor anyone else should be allowed to allowed to commit such acts of battery upon their children. No one, no one at all, has a right to take the choice of risk of significant sexual diminished experience from another human being! Every human has a right to decide for themselves what risk they wish to place upon their sexual experiences. Only an adult who has had a chance to consider the scientific arguments, the scientific research, and then perhaps read some positive stories noted on circinfo.net and the negative ones such as mine will be in a position to make such a significant decision. In hindsight, a urologist who performs circumcisions are not well placed to give such advice. Firstly, they have a conflicted interest for they benefit financially when a person chooses a circumcision. So it’s in their interests to encourage the operation. Second, is Abraham Maslow insight of law of the instrument: It is tempting, if the only tool you have is a hammer, to treat everything as if it were a nail. I submit that a surgeon has both an incentive and narrowness of vision to treat every problem as to be fixed with a snip.

Prior to my own experience, I felt that circumcising a infant or young child is barbaric and criminal. Post Circumcision, given the real loss of sexual sensation I’ve experienced, and the associated consequential loss of sexual enjoyment, my view is even more extreme. It’s cruel, horrendous and completely devoid of respect for the child, arguably, completely without love. Callous, uncaring and a blatant disregard for the child’s future sexual enjoyment. If you blissfully disregard such remarks as irrelevancy then check the definitions of psychopath in either ICD10 (See F60.2 Dissocial personality disorder) or DSM-IV (301.7 Antisocial Personality Disorder) You may find it reflective.

For adults who are thinking of the procedure I can only advise, do your research. The loss of sexual feeling, in my experience, has been major.

In closing, to give some of my comments on some of the debatable matters I’ve come across:

1.) It’s more hygienic, there’s less chance of urinary tract infection etc – have a look at the first link above, I think the scientific jury is not convinced on that point. My experience is that, yes, maybe, but it’s a marginal difference, and at what cost? For those who have hygiene issues with their penis – try tea tree oil washes or ask their doctor for more stringent antiseptics or antibiotics. I’m sure with twice a day washing with appropriate products, drying of the penis properly, and being consistent that hygiene will be manageable and that there will be no smell or infection whatsoever.

2.) There’s less chance of a STI – Yes, but at what cost to your sexual enjoyment. I’d suggest, rather than undertake an operation that will diminish your sex enjoyment for life, for those partners you don’t know are STI free, use a condom. The great thing about that temporary decrease in sexual experience (wearing of the condom) is that it’s temporary – when you do meet a steady state partner, you can enjoy truly sensational sex.

3.) A circumcised penis is more aesthetically pleasing: Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. My opinion is that my dried crackly pale pink gland is nowhere near as attractive or nice looking as my smooth dark pink gland of pre-circumcised days. However, if this is something that is important to you or your partner, then maybe the risk of loss of sexual sensation is worth it for you. Also, depending upon the type of circ you have, perhaps your experience will be less severe than mine. Indeed, there are many comments on the web (see link above) where men purportedly state that their sex life is much better post circ compared to pre. I am not sure how true those remarks are. I can only relay you my experience which has not been good. In fact, I describe my loss of sensation as horrendous. Moreover, by adding this view to a blog, I invite others to post honest accounts of their comparative pre and post adult circ experiences.

4.) In cases where there is medical necessity, such as phimosis, where the foreskin does not retract fully, I’d suggest, rather than removing the foreskin completely, it may be more beneficial to your sexual sensation to have the surgeon open the top of the foreskin so the skin can retract fully. In my experience, the foreskin is a vital and necessary component in keeping the gland membrane moist, protected and highly sensitive.

5.) This blog post has been about one males experience having a circ performed in adult life, and the significant loss of sexual gratification I experience with a circumcised penis to what I recall with my uncircumcised or natural penis. I believe the natural experience was orders of magnitude better. The circumcised penis a shadow of its former self.

I hope this will kick start a discussion, a place where other males can post their experiences. I’ll revisit it as soon as I can and add in as many much needed scientific citations as I can in coming weeks or months to improve this entry. In the mean time I hope this information has been helpful and if you’re another adult circumcisee please share your experience with a post entry or a link to your own blog or other.

The Alternative View

My brother also had a circ a few months after I had mine, completely independently of me and my reasons. His experience has been more positive than mine. So in an effort to reduce the negative bias of my experience, I’ll do my best to get him to post his experience as soon as I can.

Also feel free to ask any further questions that you feel require explanation and I’ll do my best to answer.

In the second link, I can personally completely discount Prof Brian Morris’s comments:

Prof Brian Morris: Research shows there is no difference in sensitivity in a circumcised vs an uncircumcised penis. There is only on research study that has been done on sensation, of the erect penis and this research shows, published this year by Kimberly Payne in Canada, that there is no difference.

My comment to Prof Brian’s 60 minutes chat remarks is that this has certainly not been my personal experience. For the reason’s I note above, as to why the sensitivity drops off, explaining how it occurs (rubbing against underpants etc) as explained to me by my urologist, not to mention that most circumcisions remove the frenulum, I’m highly doubtful of any research that concludes that a circumcision results in neither more nor less sensitivity. In all cases, I would rationale, it reduces in less sensitivity. It may be the case, that some men prefer a less sensitive penis. That is another argument.

-27.936876153.406021

Advertisements

Share this:

Like this:

LikeLoading...

About davidlouis77

I'm married with two children. I live in Australia. Technology field. This blog contains lay non-medical opinion based upon personal observation relayed on honestly.
I hope my blog post helps with personal decision making or makes one feel better about past mistakes.

612 Responses to Adult Circumcision My Experience 2 years on

I live in muslim country which 95% are muslim, and the rest is from various religion. I believe half from that 5% are circumcised too (because phimosis). So we can say maybe 3 out of 100 men are not circumcised.

Circumcision is become crucial here, no matter what’s your religion, in my childhood, everyone bully me because I’m not circumcised.

But from when I was a kid, my foreskin is opened, not phimosis.After I grow up, my foreskin become short and even almost not covering the gland. But I want to circumcised, and me and my family talked to a doctor, the doctor said circumcision is not necessary, we canceled the circumcision.

Now I’m an adult (32), I still want to get circumcision, only for formality (I want it loose, not tight), the doctor said, my blood vessels is big, and I told him that I’m really sexually active (hyper), his prediction is I need maybe 1-2 month to recover, which is I don’t have that time, I need to work and I’m working in the field that required a lot of movement.

I really want to get circumcised, because I’m tired to explain, everytime I asked women to date, they ask me “Are you circumcised?”, and I need to explain it over and over again.

The funny things is after they tried it, everyone told me that uncircumcised penis is very satisfactory, the extra skin feels like tickled inside.

I still want to get circumcised, when I change my job to office staff.

I’m almost 30 years old. Been aware for some years now that I was genitally mutilated at birth. The scar line is even barbaric: crude, uneven, asymmetrical and halfway down the shaft of my penis. Rigid band completely removed, frenulum completely removed, and absolutely zero shaft skin covering the glans when I’m completely flaccid. I am aware of “foreskin restoration” and I had so much skin removed that even after a couple years of stretching, I don’t even have enough flaccid skin to even touch the very bottom of the ridge of my glans. Not even close. And that’s after a fair amount of progress.

I no longer experience painful erections and I can masturbate without lubrication now, which is a plus. However I have had absolutely zero change in sensitivity — I never had any, and never will. It has taken me a lot of time and effort just to get enough mobility in my shaft skin to move it up and down just a little bit. At a maximal tugging, the skin barely goes far enough to even touch the bottom ridge of the glans when my penis is fully erect.

Genital mutilation would explain the odd experiences I had masturbating when I was growing up. painfully tight erections, humping a pillow or mattress to masturbate because the skin was so tight I didn’t even consider using my hand to pull on it, because even the slightest tug would cause pain.

I’ll never forget how awkward I felt when other kids would make masturbation jokes by waving their hands up and down in the air, and I was utterly confused about what they meant. I felt like a freak. I felt ashamed. It hadn’t even occurred to me to masturbate in that fashion. I was confused, ashamed, and I had no clue how to even understand what I was going through.

I also distinctly remember looking at my own penis when I was very young, and wondering what the brown scar line was. I had no idea it was a scar. I looked at some earthworms on the ground one day, and that band they have around their midsection made me think that that’s what my scar was.

How sad. Because if anything, that band is a lot more like the rigid band, which was completely removed/destroyed during the mutilation of my penis. That is, destroyed along with the frenulum and whatever parts of the penis were supposed to be there that I still don’t understand to this day.

I was “tightly” circumcised, but I still don’t even get what that means. “Inner” and “outer” foreskin mean absolutely nothing to me. I can’t conceive of what it’s like to have a foreskin at all. All I know is I grew up having tight, uncomfortable erections, and I couldn’t masturbate like a normal person. Even when I discovered I could use lubrication, it was always inconvenient and never felt as good as I thought it was supposed to.

It wasn’t until I was well into my 20’s that I discovered foreskin restoration and did enough to where I could masturbate without lubrication. I still get depressed when people make jokes about the color purple, implying it’s like the head of a penis…mine has always been very pale pink, for as far back as I can remember, thickly calloused over without any sensitivity.

Lastly, the psychological effects. Who knows how devastating genital mutilation really is on an infant. Probably pretty f***ing severe. I always use the example of removing a baby’s fingernails with a pair of pliers. A person would go to prison in a heartbeat for this and I’m sure when the baby grew up it would be told how it had PTSD and would have what happened to it thoroughly explained, with sympathy and understanding and efforts to keep it from happening to any other baby again.

But male genital mutilation? Our culture is so brainwashed that most people still give it a free pass. And if you have the balls to complain about having your genitals mutilated, people usually dismiss it, or worse, make fun of you. Sad thing is a lot of these people were mutilated themselves and it’s just a form of denial.

I’ve prided myself in my ability to face the depression, anger, frustration, and every other negative emotion related to genital mutilation. I believe it’s necessary for mutilated men to embrace the pain, to acknowledge that it’s REAL. By going into denial, and dismissing our pain, we are throwing more baby boys in the future to the wolves.

If more men just accepted that they were dealt a horrible hand, and had irreversible trauma forced onto them shortly after birth, and accept that they have to carry the burden of that pain until death, maybe eventually NO OTHER BOYS/MEN would have to live with that pain in the future.

I’ve concluded that men who will deny their trauma, and not own up to it, are playing a significant role in the continuation of this mutilation.

I am devastated over my loss, but just as it gives me no right to hurt anyone else, neither does it excuse me to stand by and watch passively while it happens to other people, and sip the politically correct Kool-Aid from the same blind, ignorant (or psychopathic) people who continue this barbaric practice that creates hell on earth.

I wonder if the drop-off in rates of infant male genital mutilation has a lot to do with comments on the Internet. Probably. More people are sharing their stories, and it spreads awareness. People really need to step back and ask themselves how ABSOLUTELY INSANE it is that they would need to consider the question of whether or not to mutilate their children’s genitals.

How this even became something that entered human consciousness is disturbing enough on its own. The fact that it’s a reality is worse. When I realize it’s a reality I’m living out, it’s almost unbearable.

And I think that’s why most men are in denial. When you are a victim of something that traumatic, you do not want to think about it.

But me and every other mutilated guy OWE IT to future generations to think about it.

Back when I had Facebook, I was booted from a group. Why? Some lady posted a question about circumcision and whether she should have her son cut or not. I said a resounding no, and said that circumcision was actually genital mutilation, that he should retain the choice to do it himself, and even then, only after being properly educated that he WILL lose the most sensitive parts of his penis, etc.

A bunch of women got pissed at me and then banned me from the group. They insulted me and minimized what I said, told me I was being an extremist/irrational. More like they were in denial, probably because the first hint that they might feel guilty about mutilating their child was too much for them to stomach.

Nice, huh. So the people who have to live with this irreversible trauma are thrown to the wolves so the people who caused it don’t have to experience mildly uncomfortable emotions.

It’s a cycle of denial. And it has to be broken. For anything to change, men need to own up to how messed up this is. Sugarcoating it and making it seem like it’s “not that bad” only perpetuates the problem.

It is traumatizing. It is depressing. It is permanent. And the damage it causes is permanent. If it’s going to be STOPPED, people need to understand this.

A single comment online could be the difference between a baby boy being left intact, or having his genitals mutilated and his life changed for the worse forever.

Thanks for your honesty. This is tough stuff. But necessary to face. People’s ability to go into denial is unmatched. And in the long run, denial not only makes hollow shells out of the people experiencing it, but the people who suffer in the future as a result of everyone turning a blind eye.

Hello David. I’m 45 and married and I wish I had read this before I took the plunge. I was circumcised 14 weeks ago due to phimosis. Cosmetically the outcome is good, but like you, the loss of sensation is more than disappointing. My frenulum has been completely removed and the glans area around where it was is numb to the point where I suspect nerve damage.

My surgeon gave me little information even when I tried to ask, and when I did ask, I felt like I was questioning his opinion or should not even be asking. I was given no information on risks at all, let alone information on risk regarding loss of sexual function/feeling. I did need something done to cure my phimosis and on reading much conflicting pro and con information I decided to just go ahead. Being an optimist I guess I focused on the positives of what I had read and not the negatives.

If I were to turn back the clock I would have spent more time seeking an alternative less drastic solution which did not involve the removal of my entire foreskin. Fact is I had more sensation from my penis glans with a forskin that could not retract than I do right now. I’m hoping there may be some improvement in the area where my frenelum used to be but quite honestly right now I am doubtful.

On a positive note my wife likes the finish and we do still have a great sex life. However, if you are considering circumcision please please be aware YOU WILL LOSE feeling and sensitivity so ensure you thoroughly research all available alternatives before going ahead.

Hello there Davidlouis77 and thanks for a really proper explanation on your experience with adult circumcision.I am a 50 year old male from Sweden and did a circumcision one month ago by this date for having trouble with a tight retracted foreskin who often gave me infections in this foreskin when it couldnt give after enough when it was retracted.I debated this circumcision with myself for half a year before the surgery where they promised that everything would be much better after this surgery.

I got some information in paper way before this surgery that i already after som day !!! could take away the bandage around this circumcised penis who of course was a BIG lie when it after this one month still is healing where i use bandage to protect this penis and in the same time dont get smaller blood stains on all my underwear from a still healing glans string, (one of the more sensitive parts on the penis).Got a smaller infection without fever who i solved after some days without antibiotics after contact with the surgery but instead got some rather strange itching down the scroutum who comes and goes where the surgery explained this as a smaller reaction from the anesthesia and the bactericidal where i got som information about some good lubrication by the farmacy.Not small to me who think this stuff should be explained before the surgery and not after

Beside a otherwise nice looking penis after this circumcise where it still heals in some parts and in some way give you a rather changed life for good and worse sometimes i think people should think once and for sure twice before doing this to your body if you dont suffer from medical problems like i did when it fore sure all to often tears on your psychic and fysical human body with all these new feelings with a circumcised penis when i have som proper good and bad things to tell this doctor by the next appointment.

My French Bulldog Fonzie got his balls taken away in younger age and now i myself got circumcised.Aint life a rather ironic and strange place to be human in sometimes.Have a nice day.

I was circumcised as an adult by choice as I had a constant rash on foreskin and glans since age of about 10. It was the best thing I ever did. Getting rid of my foreskin got rid of the rash and also drastically reduced my recurrences of genital herpes. I do not experience any pain and notivce no loss of sensation. The sensationb is different but if anything more intense when cumming. So if you are considering circumcision bear in mind there are two sides to every story.

I was circumcised when I was a newborn and thought this was “normal” throughout my childhood and teen years. One day while poking around the internet I found an anti-circumcision post on some random meme site, and this was really the first time I questioned the despicable violation of my right to have a complete body. Panicking I quickly searched for the benefits of circumcisions and the history of them. To my absolute horror, I found that I was a victim of all the unimaginable adverse affects caused by this procedure. When I was younger i would often have horrible burning and stinging pain around the urethral opening of my penis, which I thought was a part of puberty. I now know that was not the case, I also recently found out circumcision was originally used to stop masturbation and that 70% of men ARE INTACT. So much for having it done to “look like everybody else”.

I am so delighted by you post.
I too have had a similar experiences
I was was circumcised 20 years ago at age 38 and I am still struggling with advise and decision that the solution to my problem at that time was to remove my fore skin, it is the worst decision I have ever made in my life.
After so many years I am still experiencing severe pain and discomfort around the base of the where the surgery was performed. As for sensitivity I believe I have lost up to 50%. I have to work extra hard during love making for a decent enough session, luckily I have had the same partner (wife) for over 35 years so she understands and is quite patient with me.
My advise to anyone iconsidering cir please do your research talk to many, many persons who have actually been circumcised. Please understand that problems with cir cannot be captured in a lab or through eloquent articles. Only by experience.
Thanks for sharing

Did you find any solution yet? I have the same situation, but I’m 5 years after surgery. The head of my penis is irritable on some areas and barely feel anything on others. But for me decision was obvious, as I had type 5 and it caused many problems, including hygiene.

I’ve had nothing but hell since having it done 7 months ago. Before circumcision not as single UTI. Since circumcision several UTI’s, some quite serious where I was put on ciprol 500 antibiotic for 3 weeks.

I am seeing a specialist in infectious diseases due to constant bleeding in the groin which comes and goes every 2 weeks. Was in and out of hospital many times and no one knows why its so painful. in the groin region. My body seems to be trying to reject something under the skin.

Anti fungal or sudo cream doesn’t seem to help.
Can’t have an erection as the penis head is far to sore. Feels like its been ripped apart. Hate that pain. Since discovered the surgeon that did this to me has messed up other peoples ops in the groin area.

recent times I’ve been using Epsom salts which was helping for a while but bleeding still comes and goes.

Have a look at rate your md site where users rate their urologists. Many here in Perth WA have stuffed up these ops.

My urologist said to use baby powder which staggered me as there are lawsuits in the US using baby powder on the body.

Very interesting piece. I had to be circumcised at the age of 54, nearly seven years ago, following several months of infection through which my foreskin became gradually tighter to the point where my doctor and consultant both quickly concluded that circumcision was the only option. It was the last thing I would have wanted to do, in fact the idea terrified me. But there was apparently no alternative. I had some what I thought was good conversations with the consultant surgeon during which he reassured me about the routine nature of the operation. However, both my doctor and the consultant underestimated the post-op pain and the time it would take to return to physical normality – while my doctor said I would need to take a week off work, I was off for three, and was shuffling around like an old guy for another three. And neither the doctor nor the surgeon even mentioned any risk of impairment to sexual sensitivity – that has been a very nasty post-op surprise. My desensitised glans no longer leads the way as it used to, and the result is that erections go no further than the shaft. Intercourse suffers because the only awareness of entry is via the shaft, not the glans, and without any gliding mechanism to provide continuous stimulation, erections don’t last. Orgasm is nowhere near as pleasurable as it used to be. In my case circumcision was – I understand – a medical necessity, but I would not recommend any man do it other than as a last resort. Thought – what are the chances for some sort of synthetic attachable foreskin to be developed to supply the glans with the stimulation that it no longer gets naturally? .

And steriod creams did not work? Also, did they even mention any of the stretching kits available to help relieve phimosis? I hate to say it, but I think you got quacked. Add your voice to the growing community: intact america, saving our sons, peaceful parenting, and many more groups.

That is what happened to me. I was in for a simple other op then a urologist comes around and says you need a circumcision otherwise you will get penis cancer which I later discover is a myth.

When I question him on it in emails he then says it was a phimosis. I then say why wasn’t steroid cream used which fixes it in 87% of cases ant why no scans of the area.

He then says its my own silly fault for being over weight and to see a shrink. My penis ends up being retracted which gives me great pressure pain. I complain via emails then he writes letters to the deputy ceo of the hospital, my local gp and other doctors to say I’ve been sending virtually daily emails of a threatning nature. I save call my emails and will fight his lies in court to clear my name and sue him for ruining my life.

Nov 4, 2016 for a simple op for haemorrhoids. In the recovery room I am bursting to do a wee and the nurses refuse to get me a urine bottle for 3 and a half hours. This from one of the so called best private hospitals in Perth WA.

My bladder fails.

Had a spc through the stomach which is a catheter.

Urologist comes in and says you have to have a circumcision otherwise I’ll get penis cancer which later I find is a myth.

I have the circumcision and in hell. Surgeon says I am not washing it properly.
I end up getting a locum out and they do a urine sample and find I had the Pseudomonas Infection and been on these for 2 weeks.

The head of the penis I this very sharp stinging pain at odd times and when I get an erection its pure hell.

What annoys me about all this is it was all very rushed. I was still under the influence of a general anesthetic and strong pain meds at the time. No info was given about the op. All he said was I had to have it otherwise I would get penis cancer. When they gave me a form I didn’t have my reading glasses and still getting double vision from the pain meds and the staff said just to sign and I’ll be fine.

Well I am not fine. I was already disabled from an earlier ankle fusion early 2016 and on crutches.

My penis was never bandaged and no info about ice or given any pain medication on leaving.

Great article, but I feel that it reflects just a bad experience of a man. Just one of many. Something went wrong, but it doesn’t mean that to get circed is the worst idea of your life. I got circumcised at 32 due to some medical conditions. It was not necessary but recommended, and I’ve spent about 5 (!) years studying pros and cons of the operation, tools, techniques, statistics, and international practices throughout the world. I wanted to get an informed decision, and finally I got it. I chose to use a gomco clamp as the most convenient device. The second option was an Alisklamp, but it was much more difficult to get. By the way, I’m from Russia, so circumcision rates here are extremely low, and you cannot just come to a clinic and tell what device a doc should use. It took me about 11 months extra to find a good surgeon and to appoint the operation. Even if gomco is used primarily on infants and teens, bigger clamps are available for adults too. I’ve bought a clamp and skin glue from a medical company in the USA, and my doc used them during the operation. All went good, and now I’m very satisfied with the results in each and every aspect. I was advised not to remove my frenulum, so this might be the only difference with the ‘classic American cut’. There is no reduction in sensitivity or any other drawbacks often discussed in different forums. For me it’s a major improvement, and from my point of view I can strongly recommend getting cut. May be, the best time is infancy but RIC is not available in all countries, so I had to wait over 30 years.
Bottom line: circ helped me, and I’m happy with it. In case you can choose – choose a clamp for better cosmetic result, don’t do it ‘free-hand’. I’d advice to spent some time in your own research – don’t rely on thoughts of random people, and make a better decision.

I am a senior citizen male and I have never had any problems with getting and maintaning an erection and have always enjoyed sex. However about a year ago i noticed that my foreskin was becoming tighter and tighter making sex somewhat painful. Long story short it was Phimoses and circumcision according to the doctor was the only remedy. I wish I had done more homework on getting cut, I did some but should have done more. And so I went in for the surgery nine months ago. This was the biggest mistake. I feel as if i have been mutilated the scar tissue is like a big lump where the frenulum use to be. So here i am nine months later with pain and a lot of sensitivity and unable to get an erection. Those of you that may consider getting cut i strongly advise during a lot of research.

that information creates a real change among the concerns,
There are many safe and secure ways of circumcisions with less pain ,
i’ll suggest you to get more information and related instruments use in the circumcision from Quaint Medical Instruments which officially deals and provide circumcision kits globally .

Hello all,
I had to get a circumcision because of phamosis about 8 months ago, I’m 36. I am also one of the unlucky ones that lost some sensitivity. Fortunately I am able to still achieve an orgasim. At first my orgasims were as pleasurable and much stronger then the had ever been before. However, as the dermis began to thicken I lost both pleasure and intensity of the ejaculatuons. So I find myself craving sex even more now, because it’s not as satisfying. I had no choice in the matter, I need to have the procedure done for medical a reason, but I wish I had another option. I have spoke with several men on forums that got a circumsion for esthetics or for a lover or because they wanted to last longer in bed; roughly 70% of the men wish they hadn’t gone through with it. Now that may just be what I’ve run across and not a accurate representation of the adult circumcision population. I do feel feel urologist tend to push men towards the surgery. So do you homework on circumcisions and the doctor doing the procedure, the doctor skill and technique have a impact on success of the overall out come. Also, there are other unintended side effects. My wife of 8 years found it harder for her to achieve orgasim as well. She had other partners in the past and I was the first uncut man she had been with. I was also the only man to ever make her orgasim. So my uncut penis never posed a problem. She mentioned as most younger women do (she is 9 years my junior) that an uncircumcised penis seemed a little strange to her. She was worried about my surgery, but was a little excited to see it a little more estheticly pleasing, a silver lining as she called it. She regrets ever believing circumcisions where good and does not want our son to be circumcised. Sorry for being so long winded but be careful don’t let anyone let you feel like circumcision is the only cure and definitely don’t do it for esthetic or from someone else.

I got circumcised due to phismosis, and would just like to bullet point my experience so people who decide to have the operation don’t worry excessively.
-Couldn’t cum except during rigorous masturbation, couldn’t expose the head of the penis apart from very slightly, attempting sex was very painful when sticking it in, but feasible once a rhythm was established.
-Operation was quick, general anaesthesia. First month after was HORRIBLE. The penis naturally gets erect periodically in order to maintain its erectile functionality, meaning every time this happened my bruised dick would pop a stitch and bleed into the mass of bandages and ice packs I had to keep it covered with constantly, even at work.
-gentle masturbation became possible approximately a month and a half later, but I was worried about the extent of the scarring.
-Sex with a condom became possible a month or so after that, and I became more confident about the fruitful operation of my shaft in coitus.
-Several months later I am INCREDIBLY happy with my operation; sex is possible, I actually have more sensitivity, it seems to have gotten bigger and there is nearly no pain involved at all (though I love a bit of lube now).

In summary, circumcision is a major operation and don’t treat it lightly; only have it when necessary, and trust that your body will repair itself.

I am in a relationship with a circumcised male. he has this done as a teenager following an encounter with a female during oral sex when he ended up in the emergency room. We both enjoy sex and oral but after many many years I can see the pain in his face after a short time. It is always the right side of his penis and he tries for my sake to endure it. We have both been married and I know right away when he is hurting. He wasn’t given any other options or explanations when this was done and has always been in his words ultra sensitive to pain on this right side with any partner he has ever had. We live in a world where money is the main consideration in any situation and the quickest least costly solution to any problem is the main priority. This is borne out by the thousands of woman whose lives and bodies have been destroyed by mesh they were told would cure incontinence. Men to are now discovering that mesh used in hernia operations may be cheaper for the surgeon /hospital / insurance companies but in the long term it is causing life long distress and damage. I have read hundreds of the post op comments on sites like the ones you mentioned and it astounds me how many of them are in so much pain from circumcision they are swallowing huge amounts of pain killing drugs that we are also coming to realise are addictive and dangerous. In my opinion women are only concerned if mens personal hygiene is lacking not the state of their foreskin or size of their penis. The more we all have the more we all think we are entitled to and there is always some unscrupulous physician ready to cash in on vanity. Be thankful for what you were born with and just take care of it. I am very sorry you to have had to find all this out ‘the hard way’ but I do appreciate you have been able to give a balanced view. I would do anything to be able to give my partner back the painless erection and sexual experience he enjoyed in his earlier years and find it so sad that men are being conned into having this done and even worse having it forced on them as babies

I was circumcised at birth. I am 35, and am now experiencing anorgasmia (difficulty or inability to achieve orgasm). I have found ways to restore the foreskin and with it much sensitivity to the gland and inner foreskin as the extra layers of skin shed off. You can’t replace lost nerves, but I hear the results are better than nothing.

I’m like you Daniel. By the time I was mid-thirties it would take me an hour to jerk off and then it was just, “splat.” A lot of chafing for not much pleasure. I knew that wasn’t normal, I mean I had barely begun to age. So that’s when I delved into this whole infant genital cutting thing. It certainly is an atavistic blood ritual is about all I can make of it.

If it wasn’t for restoration I don’t think I’d be able to cum at all by now.

There are several organizations now protesting and advocating for change. It’s too bad for all of us who are already disfigured though, and even though circ is hovering a little more than 50/50, that is still more than a million more men disfigured every year in the US alone…. I mean, most men of the age of sexual maturity are still cut and that has not changed yet.

Hi, i am Amir i have circumcise my penis. Any girl/women are want to sex with me then contact Email amirdas061@gmail.com or 9556954310. I am always keep secrecy and privacy of that relation guarantee. Thsnk you.

i had a circumsicion done about 10 weeks ago. 2 weeks after the first cut I had half of it redone cause the stitching came out. I had a high an loose cut if I was to define the scope of work. I also requested that the frenulum was to remain in tact. hence all I requested was about 2.5cm of shaft skin be removed. 2 MOnths later other than a bit of blue round the shaft it all looks good, much tidier than before in appearance, absolutely no difference in sensation or anything other than the cleaner look. I am happy with the decision and should have done i I 15 yrs ago.

I completely agree. Had one due to lack/pain of foreskin retraction. Only in first 3 months, but feels dull during sex. I can’t feel inside my wife anymore like I used to. Pleasing her feels like it is going to be difficult, as I don’t know where I am. It is line driving a car blindfolded. Trying to remain positive though. Have you found any positions better than others?

Hi. Just red your post ‘re post circ .I had a circ 5years ago this month and its still painful at front right side part where skin was cut during op. When someone grabs it hard there is pain and numbness a strange combination. With a condom on its not painful maybe there’s a parable in that. Thou shalt wear the condom. I would prefer to wear a condom as less chance of getting Chancres etc any comments most welcome.